论英属东印度公司在印度早期报刊发展中角色的双重性质

Dual Roles of the British East India Company in the History of Early Indian Press Development

印度早期报刊的诞生和发展是与英属东印度公司联系在一起的。本文从印度早期报刊的诞生、发展和新阶段各个时期中,东印度公司对报刊的恐慌、反扑和退场三方面进行研究,从而发现东印度公司经历了初期的被动反应,中期的积极应对和后期的无奈隐退的角色转型,因而认为东印度公司在早期印度报刊的发展中具有双重性质。即东印度公司虽然主观上不乐见报刊业,但为了利用报刊业达到其目的,不自觉地推动了印度报刊业的发展。

The birth and development of India＇s modem press were linked with British East India Company. This article focuses on three aspects： the company＇s fear to the press, its counterattack and its reclusion during the different periods. It is found that the East India Company had hold the passive attitude at the beginning, then reacted actively in the middle and finally withdrawn from the press. It concludes that the East India Company had dual roles in the early development of the press in India. Although the company disliked the press subjectively, it still promoted the development of press in India unconsciously.